de Angelis to replace Ben Spies at US MotoGP

Moto2 race winner and former MotoGP podium finisher Alex de Angelis will replace Ben Spies for the US round at Laguna Seca later this month.

Spies, who moved from Yamaha to Pramac Ducati for this season, continues to be sidelined by a healing shoulder and has been replaced by Ducati test rider Michele Pirro in recent events.

However Pirro will not be able to take part in the American race due to a test session scheduled for Misano from July 23-25.

By contrast de Angelis, who is riding for Forward Racing in Moto2 this year, is free for the US GP since the Moto2 class is not part of the Laguna schedule.

de Angelis will make his Ducati debut during the factory's forthcoming test at Misano this week - de Angelis taking to the track on Thursday.

Spies injured his shoulder at last October's Malaysian round and, after struggling for strength during the first two rounds of this season, stepped away to undergo further rehabilitation. The former MotoGP race winner is now expected to return for the Indianapolis Grand Prix - the first event after the summer break - on August 18.

29-year-old de Angelis is presently eleventh in the Moto2 standings, with a best finish of eighth. The Sammarinese raced for Gresini Honda in MotoGP during 2008 and 2009, claiming second place at Indianapolis. de Angelis then rode as a stand-in for the injured Hiroshi Aoyama during three events in 2010, on an Interwetten Honda.